


step into the light

by yo_let_me_get_a_milkyway



Category: Broadway RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Broadway, Fame, Inspired by Real Events, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Public Relations, RPF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:40:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27577978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yo_let_me_get_a_milkyway/pseuds/yo_let_me_get_a_milkyway
Summary: chris and lin, from the first day to the days coming.
Relationships: Christopher Jackson/Lin-Manuel Miranda
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	step into the light

**Author's Note:**

> i... i can't believe im posting chrislin in 2020. 
> 
> oh whatever. dont like, dont read. dont tweet @ chris or lin :)
> 
> oh, and listen up buttercups. lin is a dipshit. dont stan him. 🙈🙈🙈

They're not so subtle, Tommy thinks. They're not subtle at all. They think they are, but they are not.

Lin's young and energetic. It's good in a creator, especially one looking to set motion to the ideas of others. So is Chris, to a lesser extent, but it's not like he minds. Christopher is a part of the big plan Lin Manuel Miranda plans to string them into, starting in the basement of the Drama Bookshop. The moment that Lin tells the improv team what he and Chris have been up to, Tommy likes to think the others are much better at being subtle, because they all answer with a chorus of "We know."

It's not like Tommy minds. No, not when he finds them in the wings snogging each other, Chris's hands almost up Lin's shirt while the other boys play a round of Zip Zap Zop - in fact, he makes it a better point to make noise every time he enters a room. And as of recently, he's made it a habit to knock on the doors as well, if the storage closet incident is anything to speak by it.

Still. They're not even in their 40s yet. Christopher and Lin are young, dedicated, and hard working. Who is he to stop them, when the way they look at each other makes the other smile?

It's funny how Chris and Lin compliment each other, more so in the places where the other lacks. Where Lin is loud, scrawny, and energetic, Chris is a little more quiet, focused, and thoughtful. At the same time, they've both got the same drive when it comes to performing, especially when the other half of them is on the stage. They both have the same passionate fire in the eyes when they sit around the folding table and brainstorm In the Heights with Quiara. They both have the passionate fire that tells everyone they were born to have a presence on the stage.

Thomas envies them, really. Not that they're in love - well, he envies that a little - but he thinks about the fact that Freestyle Love Supreme has each other's back. A group of ragtag college friends who came up with this genius idea over a bunch of beers and Biggie Smalls tapes. Maybe he's the mastermind to this, the steel pillar holding up what Lin has jumped into, no hold backs, but with no hesitation he loves the Freestyle Love Supreme team. All six of them fit together like puzzle pieces, especially Lin and Christopher. Tommy's no demon, who is he to stop them?

He does wish they'd lay back on the PDA.

Like right now, when they're trying to film a thing for a film in the future. It's chaotic, like they always are, and apparently Lin is up for taking this episode to talk about Christopher's arm. Christopher's arm, which is wrapped around his waist possessively while the rest of the team talks about where their matching tattoos are. It would be fine, except for the fact that Lin and Chris are literally snogging each other with their eyes. Tommy knows Lin's bedroom eyes, the "zesty Latino sex stare" he joked about once in a segment. It's even worse when Chris gets in on the action as well.

Fucking teenagers.

Tommy is their age, so he can't really tell them off... except he is, a little, for their horny teenager love.

He should also think things through before doing them, except he doesn't do that either. Not better than Lin, anyways.

For some reason, the team has gotten a little heartfelt with some words about Lin, and now the attention shifts on Tommy. He talks a bit about how well the team works, peppering in some jokes so he can compliment their dynamics with a little facade. And for some reason, he punctuates his words with a kind platonic peck to Lin's cheek, eliciting a few "awws" from the team.

He really should have known better.

Chris's gaze is almost murderous, but with a sorrowful light that makes Tommy feel like he's stepped on a puppy. Lin is speaking with the rest of the group now, a little focused more on the camera than on the situation at hand. Sullivan is watching them from his solo chair, and he can feel the tension rise in the room a little.

"I'm sorry," Tommy mouths, but Chris's gaze never falters. His sorrowful light fills his face completely, eyebrows crinkling in the way they did whenever he got emotional.

"Just don't," Chris softly whispers in their little conversation bubble. "because I can't."

Time after time, Tommy does get a little touchy. Whether it be a hand on Christopher’s back, or a ruffle of Lin’s hair, he’s a touchy person. It’s all platonic, and thankfully that’s what their viewers read it as, even if it looks like Lin is about to throttle him into the sun. But even when he does mess with them, out of mischief or on accident, he does truly wish them well. It’s hard not to, when they’re two people with the world and so much ahead of them. Chris and Lin are happy and solid together, and if Tommy had anything to say about it, Lin was the best he was ever. Normally he’d look at a duo like them and scoff. _There’s something deeper going on here._

Maybe he’s a hopeless romantic at heart after all. Nobody has to know. 

* * *

Luis knew before a word was peeped out of Lin’s mouth. A father’s intuition, perhaps. But the day his son asked to bring a friend over for lunch, he knew. 

“Of course, mijo,” he told Lin kindly. “The more the merrier.”

He wouldn’t ask questions yet, not when his son’s mindset was so fragile. Lin would tell him when he was ready. 

When he saw Chris’s broad figure standing next to Lin, he wasn’t as surprised as he’d expect. It made sense in the big picture, really. The two of them were close, much closer than any of Lin’s other friends and workmates. He had pinned it down to the circumstances in which Chris had been in almost every single one of Lin’s projects, and if not had been in on it. Maybe it was his son’s outgoing nature, but this? This explained a lot. 

Chris led him off the stairs of the stoop like some kind of prince, before they both got in the car. Luis smiled at Christopher warmly, greeting him with a good afternoon. “Lin didn’t tell me you were the friend he was taking.”

“You didn’t ask, Papi,” Lin shoots back with no bitterness at his dad. “You just said yes.”

“I guess I did,” Luis said, laughing. “I trust your judgement, too. No going back now.”

The comment puts them at ease as Luis begins to drive to that really nice sandwich shop a few blocks away. In the rear view mirror, he can see Chris mouthing something at Lin, who giggles a little as if they were flirting. Luis takes another glance through the mirror, and is eighty percent sure that yes, they are holding hands. Once again, he asks nothing, instead settling for testing the waters and asking about the In the Heights rehearsals. 

“Getting well with your castmates?” Luis asks, like he always with any project Lin has done. Chris mutters something that makes Lin’s ears fluster bright red.

“Everyone is-” Lin shares another laugh with Chris as if they're in on something- “Everyone is really nice, Papi. I thought the system might be a little ruthless, but Mandy’s back in on the team and so is Tommy. We’re getting the team back together!”

“We’re a very serious bunch,” Chris adds on to the conversation. “But at the end of the day, we’re just a bunch of performers with a dream. It’s hard to dislike people who come from the same background as you.”

Luis smiles. “Hold on to that, boys. It might not always be like that.”

They both nod seriously, and Luis smiled again, pulling into the parking lot. “We’re here now, boys.”

He unbuckled the seat belt, and Chris hopped out of the car, already dead starving. Luis’s hand reached for the door handle before he heard Lin speak. “Papi- wait.”

Turning obediently, Luis shifted into his fatherly face. “Is something up?”

Lin eyes turned to the front window where Chris leaned on the front of the car, cautious and almost a little nervous before he shrugged. “It’s nothing,” he concluded at last, reaching for the door handle himself. 

Luis paused. “Are you sure?”

Lin nods. “Let’s just eat,” he says. “Haven’t had much for breakfast but coffee.”

Lunch is a simple affair - Chris goes with his usual Cuban, Lin picks out the pickles like he always has, and they settle for the booth in the corner. Luis watches them from across the table with amused eyes, from the way that Lin steals the crisps off of Chris’s sandwich basket to the way that Chris subtly (but not really) takes a sip from Lin’s pink lemonade. He plays around with his ham and cheese, squirting a packet of ketchup inside while he entertains the idea of teasing them. 

“So Christopher,” Luis begins finally. “Tell me a bit about yourself.”

Chris tries to swallow quickly, winding up choking on his sandwich. Lin’s face shifts into mild worry as he pats the big dude’s back, pushing his Coke closer, but Chris waves it off. “‘m fine,” he says, clearing his throat. “Sorry, sorry, that went down the wrong pipehole.”

“No need to apologize,” Luis says. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” Lin still has his hand on Chris’s back, his face concerned. Interesting. 

“No- it’s not- never mind,” Chris shakes his head. “Uh, I actually used to live in the Bronx, I love the Yankees, and- well, I guess Lin already told you that.”

Luis chuckled. “He did, at that,” he says. “What was your favorite subject in school? And what brought you close to Lin?”

At the last question, both Chris and Lin perk their heads up. Chris straightens up in his seat, eyes lit. “I actually played a few years of baseball before I realized theatre was the way to go. Me and Lin met in the Drama Bookshop basement when I was looking for a script book. Coming with him seemed like the logical way to go, crazy as he sounded with this hip hop rap musical of his, but I tell you we’re headed somewhere.”

"And do you still think it's crazy?"

He glances at Lin, who flashes him the warmest most bashful grin Luis has ever seen on his son. Luis can’t help but suppress a smile of his own. 

"Not if it's Lin. No sir, I don't think it could ever be for me."

Lunch passes by relatively quickly, faster than Luis thought it would, and he finds Chris to be charming and personable. He’s obviously nervous, but Christopher eventually warms up to him, and by the end of lunch they’re all laughing at his silly impressions of Lin. 

Once they head back to Lin’s apartment, he climbs out to hug his son. He also offers another one to Chris, who seems a little shocked, but accepts nonetheless. “It was lovely meeting you, _mi yerno,_ ” he says, really meaning it. “I think you and Lin are going to accomplish a lot of great things.” 

Chris’s cheeks go pink. “You too, sir.”

Lin is watching them with the most bizarre look on his face, and Luis thinks he knows why, but he says nothing. A moment later, Lin pats his shoulder and tells him to head inside. They’re definitely due for a father and son chat, so Chris smiles, running up the stoop with a takeout bag of sandwiches and heading off into Lin’s apartment. When Christopher is out of sight, Lin finally turns to his father, letting out a breath he was holding in. 

“Son in law,” Lin breathed out unbelievably. “You guessed, didn’t you?”

Luis smiled. “I know you better than you know yourself, mijo.”

Lin shook his head. “I should’ve guessed. Was it the matching tattoos or the touchy-”

“A father always knows,” Luis tells him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Besides, I knew you’d tell me when you were ready. Christopher is a nice man.” There’s a pause for a moment, and Luis wistfully stares off into the sunset. “You’ll be great for him, and he’ll be great for you.”

Lin glances up at him. “Yeah?”

He did nothing but smile. “You have my blessing, and so does Christopher. Unless he breaks your heart,” Luis added. “Then I will see to it that he gets a taste of my Miranda sandwich.”

Lin laughs. “I don’t see that being a problem in the near future. Christopher’s an honest man.”

“Well at least he makes you happy,” Luis finally concludes. “All I want is for my beautifully talented children to live happy, safe lives. Are you happy?”

“We are,” Lin nods, and there’s a flicker of something in his face that she can’t quite read, and he feels a flash of concern, but he reigns it in. He’ll tell him when he’s ready, he reminds herself. It’s a policy that has stood him in good stead for all his children thus far, and he’s never had cause to regret it.

At last, Lin’s patience to be away from Chris crumbles. “I should probably get inside, Papi,” he tells Luis. “It’s getting a little chilly anyways. Don’t wanna keep Chris waiting. But- thank you. For everything.”

He hugs him again, and Luis brushes the hair out of Lin’s face to kiss his forehead. “Of course,” he says. “What are fathers for?” Now get your Chita Rivera looking ass in there and go spend time with your carino.”

_“Papiiiiiii, we had something heartfelt going on!_ ”

_“Love you too, mijo!”_

_When he gets inside, he scribbles a line for Sonny on a tissue paper, sticks it up on the fridge, and kisses Christopher furiously._

* * *

The Freestyle Love Supreme team watches them with careful eyes. 

A few years pass. They love Chris and Lin, and sitting front row of In the Heights, they're reminded of how much they love each other. The crowds go wild for their scene in the opening number, Chris leaning over the counter and making almost kissy faces at Lin as his arm wraps around his waist. Utkarsh snickers during 96000 when Chris's hand finds itself in the back pocket of Lin's. 

The press and the paparazzi that comes with being the stars of the freshly invigorating musical taking home inside the Richard Rogers brings them the utmost delight and joy. Lin and Chris frequent the same sandwich place they've been to all this time. _Next day, they find it covered with fans of his new musical._

At the same time, they hate it. 

Because this isn’t New York City, full of dreams and stardom. It’s also trashy reviews and offensive remarks and slurs, and it’s even worse that comes with the progressiveness of the musical itself. They've had their share of stopping backstage to check up on Lin, who walks out of their shared room with Chris with blotchy red eyes. Wishing they could be themselves. 

Chris has already steeled himself from the racism that comes with a black man holding a lead role on the stage. Some people are just like that. The stagedooring doesn't help though, not when there are people yelling the worst kinds of things at him as he passes by with Lin next to him.

What does stir them up are the rumors. 

On the days that Lin and Chris have their understudies come in their stead, they head to the Drama Bookshop, restless and worried. “What the hell does this say,” Lin spouts out angrily at his phone as he paces. “Lin Manuel Miranda and Christopher Jackson: Eloping?”

“He’s not wrong,” Chris muttered, rubbing at his eyelids. “Y’know, on second thought, we probably should have stayed off Broadway.”

“In the Heights is perfect where it is," Lin muttered, teeth clenched. "Can’t Buzzfeed keep their heads out of our lives?”

The boys stayed quiet, and Lin chucked his phone across the room. _Fuck this crap._

“I didn’t ask to be Kim fucking Kardashian,” Lin mumbled. “It’s just a fucking show, guys.”

Chris stood up, arms opening instantly to hold Lin. “They just don’t care about how progressive your musical is,” he comforted, rubbing Lin’s tired back. Eight shows a week made his back and neck sore on top of all of this unnecessary drama. 

"I just wanna have you," he told Chris. "I want you and my musicals and the shitty mixtapes we make out of sappy fucking feelings."

"I know," Christopher told him. "I do too."

The team watched with worried eyes as Christopher rubbed his back, regardless of what they looked like. Sully sighed, wishing he could do something to ease their pain. It didn’t look like that was happening anytime soon. 

“You guys can head home now,” Arthur gently piped up from his spot at the piano. “Me, Anthony, and Sully got rehearsals down the belt. Don’t feel pressured to watch over us.”

“I have to though,” Lin quickly and irritatedly groaned out. “I have to do this, I have to do that! I have to do everything apparently, because Buzzfeed wants me to make kissy faces at Karen Olivo every night at 8 PM!”

“Maan, fuck Buzzfeed,” Anthony drawled out. “Why do you care so much about maintaining your public image?”

“Do you think a bisexual Latino man has any chance of getting anything on Broadway, or am I getting too full of myself and my potential?”

Silence filled the room, before everyone sighed. “Fair point.”

Chris tugged Lin closer into his lap, kissing his face gently. “I do feel like heading home though,” he whispered, cupping Lin’s face. “We can have a nice quiet night without having to deal with anyone, okay? No Twitter?”

“No Twitter sounds like fun,” Lin mumbled, curling up into Chris’s hold. “Gosh, where would I be without you?”

“Caffeine overdose?”

Lin kissed his nose. “Caffeine overdose indeed.”

As Christopher and Lin coddled at each other, Arthur played some chill tunes on the Funk EP setting of his keyboard, and the boys relaxed for a while, simply relishing in the presence of each other. 

It wouldn’t help Lin stop thinking, but he could settle for it. 

* * *

Eventually, Lin gets over it. 

Lin learns to get off Twitter. Uses his phone to take pictures of Chris and NYC sunsets over the Hudson and shitty selfies on the corner of the street that make him look like a tourist. Uses the rest of the breaktime they have to doze around in sheets that smell of their shared scent, almost as if they're living a normal life. 

Interviews happen. Lin learns from the best how to dodge certain questions. Chris is suave with it, but talks about Lin like he would a brother. _Lin is not a brother to him. He wishes he could tell them that._

The next show they have, Lin drags Chris out to run to the front of the stage during curtain call, hand in hand and still in costume. He can see camera shutters click as he raises a small Dominican flag next to Christopher, the rest of the cast in the wings cheering him and Chris on. 

Lin tucks it in his shirt pocket and Chris is beaming at him. Everything to look at in the room, from the roaring crowd to the huge set in front of him. Chris still watches him with adoring eyes, and maybe it doesn’t matter anymore. Maybe he could just lean up and kiss him. 

Anthony's words echo in his ears. _Why do you care so much about maintaining your public image?_

They run off stage, shortly after Lin sends the world into a frenzy.

* * *

"So tell me," Quiara began, before tossing down a piece of chicken to Tobi. "Why are you boys here tonight?"

Lin sighed, leaning up against Christopher sleepily. "I kissed him," Lin tiredly muttered. "On a stage in front of hundreds, soon to be thousands of people if they took pictures. Man, we're finally gonna have fangirls and a ship name!"

"See, now that's what I'm talking about" Chris told him. "Did you have a change in heart?"

"I don't know," Lin shrugged. "Didn't feel like hiding anymore."

Chris didn't mind. He simply continued to run a hand through Lin's hair. She listened to them argue over some silly name for their pairing _(What in hell's name is Jackiranda? I'm telling you, it's Chrislin." "Either way, my name's always first." "That's because you're the top, sweetheart!")_ and laughed when the conversation began to quiet. Once she brought the fajitas over, she found them both fast asleep. 

_They had a long week ahead of them._

* * *

“Man, this Hamilton shit is exhausting. I’m fucking starved, dude!”

Chris laughed, tugging him closer as they walked. “We’re almost there, baby,” he told Lin, arm wrapped around his side like usual. “Daveed is saving us a seat.”

They walked down the street so familiar, Lin watching the cars come and go as Chris led them down the sidewalk everyone was going down. The train whizzed by and he smiled. This was perfect, walking with Chris - feeling the breeze against their faces, Lin's cheek pressed against Chris's collar as he whiffed the cologne off of it. If there were some good things that came with being the creator of the biggest musical to boot at the moment, it would be the fact that Christopher was also there, standing beside him like a phantom limb finally attached. 

"Mr. Miranda! Mr. Jackson!" a boy calls out, and they turn their heads. Christopher knocks his side with his elbow - "I told you our get ups are still recognizable." Lin rolls his eyes and kisses him quickly. _He loves his dumb scarf and his tinted sunglasses._

They turn their heads to meet the voice. It's a boy, seems to be about 15 or 16. He's got an enthusiasm for Broadway, apparently, because he's got a Les Mis T-shirt on and about 20 Playbills in his hand for the musical. Lin waves at the kid and he beams, turning to tug on what seems to be his pop's shirt, but when he tells him to look where he stood, they're already gone. 

"I feel like we should've said something to the kid," Chris says, feeling a little guilty. "Y'know, not every kid gets bragging rights to meeting Lin Manuel Miranda."

"You have too much empathy," Lin shoots back. "Let's go, babe - we'll be late."

Diggs is there with their seats and everything all dressed up and popping back into the orchestra pit when he's done preparing. The place is bustling with energy, everyone with a snack in hand, but Lin already feels exhilarated with Christopher next to him. 

_Next to him, because they can finally be normal._

The opening notes - F sharps from the orchestra, followed by a B minor key set of notes that _he orchestrated on his GarageBand app, thank you very much_ \- ring in the auditorium and the audience is on their seats. Leslie walks out the side, opening the story they've managed to write together, and Chris only holds him closer and rests their heads together. The music only becomes background noise as Chris breathes next to him, planting kisses to his forehead everytime one of Eliza's romantic declarations come on, pinching him everytime the musical makes a reference to how _prestiged_ their Washington is, or fluffing his hair up whenever he notices a little detail that they both added in the choreography. It's silly. _It's also very endearing._

That night, when the show ends, Lacamoire hops out of the orchestra pit to take his bow. Lin and Chris wave at him and Lacamoire notices, waving them back before ushering them back onto the stage. Chris pulls at him as he leads them through the doors on the side, quickly dodging everyone in the wings and giving shoulder pats before making their way back onto the stage they were just watching. Only then, does the applause only grow, especially when Christopher holds up him and Lin's shared hands. Like a testimony as to how far they've made it. 

As the orchestra pit plays a quick improv rendition of Christopher's album single _I Got You -_ when did they learn that, Lin will never know - and the audience grows louder and louder, Christopher only rumbles next to him with happy laughter before sinking down to his knees on the stage, his hand still holding Lin's. Grounding them as his 5 senses go override. 

Daveed runs on with his headset, quickly attaching it to Christopher's head in a blur before bouncing off the stage giddily. Christopher's voice can finally boom across the stage and through the audience, filled with wet happiness and sincerity. Lin feels like crying because Christopher does this to him _every time._

"Lin," Christopher begins. "Lin, I don't mean to ask you in front of all these people, and- I may not have a script, and my words may not be as eloquent as yours." He begins to tear up and everyone only cheers encouragement, forcing them to look out at the crowd and smile before looking back down bashfully. "Yeah," Chris says. "Go ahead and mooch his fan." 

The audience only yelled louder. Camera's begin to flash with light, Lin shutting his eyes and trying to take in the moment. "You're okay," Christopher whispered, only for him and him only. "You're here with me."

Lin sobbed out with laughter. "Is this happening? Is my boyfriend finally proposing to me?"

"Yeah," Chris affirmed. "I even had a speech for it, but I guess I can do improv, darling… is that okay?"

"Yes," Lin smiled. "Yes, yes, _yes! Dear god, Christopher, a million yesses if it means I get to spend forever with you, even if it means rewriting In the Heights so I don't have to kiss anyone but you,_ **_yes!"_ **

Chris stood up, holding him close and cupping his chin to press him forward to his lips, hearing the cheers go wild like a pleasant thrum in his brain. Lin could only smile wildly against him, motor mouth running faster and giddier than it ever had in its life. Even the orchestra filled the room with a crescendo, like some cheesy movie backing track. It only clicked to Lin then-

"You fucking planned this," he playfully spat at him, to which Chris only laughed. "You took me out today, made us watch our own musical, and now we're standing here and you're my fiance!"

"Yeah I did," Chris grinned. "And I think we may be keeping the audience for a bit. Home?"

At the playful unplanned commentary, the audience only roared louder. An invitation to go live their lives. Chris smiled down at him, gripping their hands together tighter. They had always been holding together, almost like instinct. 

Walking off the stage had never felt better. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading. find me @yo-let-me-get-a-milkyway on tumblr <3


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